Gallio Icarus vs. Testdriven.net

Question

What is the difference between using an integrated VS tool like Testdriven.net or using a graphical GUI like Icarus or NUnit GUI?

What do you prefer and why?

So far, I have found that reporting in Icarus is better than in td.net, which only has command line output. However, td.net is faster, I can run single tests more easily, without having to disable the others first. Integration with NCover is also very enjoyable.

Answer 1

Icarus has one great feature that keeps me from using it. This is an automatic reboot and re-check.

I keep Icarus hanging on the left hand monitor. Each time I create Visual Studio, Icarus reloads the assemblies and runs all the tests. This is similar to the instant feedback from Resharper Solution Analysis, with the exception of tests instead of syntax. Test execution is automatic and does not seem to affect the performance of Visual Studio (probably b / c Icarus is its own process not hosted inside the IDE).

To enable this configuration, go to Icarus-> Options-> Test Explorer. Check the box next to "Always reload files" and "Run tests after reboot."

Answer 2

Do you have a continuous integration server (for example, a build server, but unit tests are running)?

If so, you can configure gallio to run your unit tests and have all the reporting information there, allowing developers to use something with faster feedback while they work.

If there is no option, I prefer what is integrated into the IDE, for example Testdrvien. Immediate feedback is really useful when refactoring code or developing something new in TDD. In addition, if you do not check the health check at one point (for example, a CI server), you will need as many eyes as you can find on these unit tests. Developers tend to use everything that is simpler, and, as a rule, an integrated test suite is simpler than a separate component.